The Name of the Church

1. How important are names to God?
   1. God named several men in the Bible.
      1. Abraham Genesis 17:5
      2. Jacob Genesis 32:28
      3. John Luke 1:13
      4. Jesus Matthew 1:21
   2. Would you name your child Judas or Jezebel?
2. Did the prophets foresee a particular name for the people of God?
   1. Isaiah 56:5
   2. Isaiah 62:2
   3. Acts 11:26
   4. Acts 26:28
   5. 1 Peter 4:16
3. What were individual members of the church called?
   1. Christians.  Acts 11:26
   2. Disciples.  Acts 19:30
   3. Saints.  Romans 1:7
   4. Brethren.  1 Corinthians 15:6
   5. Children of God.  Romans 8:16
4. By what names was the church known?
   1. The church. Colossians 1:18
   2. The body of Christ. 1 Corinthians 12:27
   3. "My church."  Matthew 16:18
   4. The church of God. 1 Corinthians 1:2
   5. The church of the living God.  1 Timothy 3:15
   6. The churches of Christ.  Romans 16:16
   7. The household of faith.  Galatians 6:10
   8. The church of the Lord.  Acts 20:28
5. Were the early Christians permitted to wear the names of men?
   1. 1 Corinthians 1:12-13
   2. 1 Corinthians 3:4-7
6. Why do we object to non-scriptural religious names?
   1. Acts 4:12
   2. The name bestows honor on the person or thing.
   3. The church belongs to Christ. Matthew 16:18
7. What is a safe position in the matter?
   1. There is no surer path religiously than to do Bible things in Bible ways and call Bible things by Bible names.
   2. Martin Luther, "I pray you leave my name alone, and call not yourselves 'Lutherans', but Christians. Who is Luther? My doctrine is not mine. I have not been crucified for anyone."

Part of a longer study

Things Surely Believed Among Us - http://searchersclass.net/Books/TSBAU.htm